SA approves ping pong, pool

This week’s meeting of the College of William and Mary Student Assembly focused on “purposeful playing.”
In a 15-3 vote, the SA passed the Ping Pong Provision for Purposeful Playing Act II.

“This is round two because round one didn’t work out so well,” Sen. Ben Brown ’11 said.

The first act provided a ping pong ball dispenser, which was eventually stolen. The new bill allocates $75 from the consolidated reserve to purchase four containers that will be placed in the Sadler Center’s Student Exchange and at the Campus Center’s candy counter, as well as $400 to purchase 2,880 ping pong balls. To prevent theft of the dispensers, balls will be available for 25 cents during the hours these facilities are open.

After the initial investment, new ping pong balls will be bought with the money earned from the purchase of old ones.

“This bill essentially pays for itself,” Sen. Stef Felitto ’12 said.

Although some members of the SA expressed concern that the bill was frivolous, Brown said it provided a good service.

“I don’t know of any sales of ping pong balls on campus,” he said.

The SC Free Pool Act also passed by unanimous consent. The bill will cover the costs students currently pay to play pool in the SC games area.

“They charge for pool because they need money to make repairs for when the felt is scratched or when the cues break,” Sen. Brittany Fallon ’11 said. “This would be around the right amount [to make up the costs].”

The Free Pool Act allocates $1,000 from the Consolidated Reserve to fully subsidize student pool playing in the SC.

“Everyone loves pool,” Sen. Jim Dunleavey ’10 said.

The Student Organization Act, which would help provide planners to students, was introduced and will be voted on at a future meeting. The Office of Health Education and the Career Center, which have supplied the planners in the past, have lost funding due to decreased advertisement revenue.

The Potentially Necessary eBallot Upgrade Act was also introduced. The act would fund the integration of online voting for student elections through Blackboard Academic Suite.

“Students log in with their normal user ID and password … and vote on whatever election’s going on,” Brown said. “It’s likely that we will be able to create a new organization that’s responsible for maintaining our e-ballot.”

If created, this group would have its own budget to pay for the annual license needed for the online voting system.

The SA is also considering sponsoring a spring carnival similar to October’s Fall Spooktacular.

“There will be a return of the petting zoo,” Sen. Betty Jeanne Manning ’12 said.

Additionally, Grace Colby ‘13 was sworn into the senate during Tuesday’s meeting.

Manning also announced that the College would be switching its e-mail service to Gmail.